Mounting for tables for sewing machines



Aug. 26, 1941. HocH O MOUNTING FOR TABLES FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 25, 1938 to the floor material.

Patented Aug. 26, 1941 l OFFICE MOUNTING FOR TABLES ,FOR SEWING MACHINES Louis Hoch, `New York, N. Y.

Application April 25, 1938, Serial No. 204,047

8 Claims. (CVI. 311-13) "This 'invention relates tov mountings for tables for sewing machines.

Industrialliy, the problem of arranging a plurality of Vsewing machines of different types in order vto conserve plant space, and of arranging as large a number of machinesr as possible in plants of different dimensions, is the problem with which a plant architecty must vwrestle vevery time 'he is faced with a newfloor plan and withV diierent machinery to 'be installed on an old iloor plan. While dimensions of new sewing machine tables are practically standard in the industry, the space in which such tables are to be arranged is, of course, not standard. Take, for instance, a situation where the lay-out man .desires to set up twenty machines in line, and it just happens that the standard length .of tables obtainable is such that only nineteen tables can be accommodated, with, perhaps, a few inches over to spare, but not sufcient to take .the additional table., The plant lay-out man, seeking some means vfor installing these twenty machines in space which will receive only nineteen standard machine tables, may follow a method sometimes resorted to, that is, to saw off a piece from the ends of one or moreA tables..

To support such tables from .the floor, uprights are usually'provided, .the .tables resting upon the top surfaces of the uprights. The .uprights are usually .positioned at the very ends of the tables, the tables being secured to the uprights` in that relation. Therefore, when the tables .were cut down in `this manner, no complications k'arose where the customary procedure was followed in anchoring these uprights directly to .the floor. In such procedure, the uprights could be arranged on the. iioor in any desired position since these uprights were bolted directly to the floor. For this purpose, especially where, in more recent times, the concrete floor has become customary construction, holes were required to be drilled into the floor for receiving the bolts, whatever was the length of the table.

"However,l owners of buildings in which suc plants are .to be set up have, more recently, as-

sumed an attitude .antagonistic to bolting the.

uprights directly to the floor because of injury Furthermore, with `such direct engagement of `the upright, and, therefore, of the shafting and the machines, With the oor, Athe vibration of the moving parts was transmitted directly to the licor, with consequent discomfort to those below, and even danger to the building. Additionally, arrangements of this measurement, inasmuch as the holes in the floor for the reception of the bolts had to be prepared rst, before the tables or uprights could be mounted, and the location of such holes had to be exact, `in order that the uprights could be properly located. for properly cooperating with the tables. Many rdifferent .methodshave been attempted to avoid this type of construction, but with little .success iny arriving at a solution.

Itis an object of the invention to provide supporting means for tables carrying sewing machines, wherein such supporting means requires no Vdirect coupling with the floor, and yet is capable of .adjustment so that'tables appreciably different in length may be assembled togetherin the same line.

Furthermore, since the apparatus is not directly coupled to the floor, the undesirable effects of such direct coupling are avoided. In addition, apparatus rin accordance with the invention permits the use of cushioning material of any desired variety, further to eliminate the possibility of transmission of f vibrationrfrom the machines and the shafting to the oor. Y

It is an object ofthe invention to provide apparatus for the purpose stated in the use and location of which no lay-out or accurate measurements on the floor are required, thus making v such installations less costly in the'rst instance.

Sewing vmachines of the typey here discussed are, in plants of anysize, operated by some power means which may consist of a'shaft, extending beneath the aligned tables. `Some means are provided to effect connection of each individual machine to such shaft, so that all, or-selected ones,r of the machines, set up in that line, may be driven, Vas desired. Some device, such as a clutch, becomes an essential part of such connecting means. The usual practice has been to provide ak treadle for operating this clutch, and thus for transmitting, at the operators election, the necessary power to the machine as it is required. This clutch has come to be known as a "transmitter, and will be so termed hereinafter.

The treadle vfor the transmitter is mounted, of course, in such manner that the operator may, withcomfort, engage and operate itY with his foot.

,. .In mounting such treadles, it is necessary to concharacter required very accurate lay-out and hunched, and, therefore, a tiring one. VFor this reason, therefore, it is requisite that the supporting means for the treadle should be as low as possible, and as close to the floor as possible.

It is an object of the invention to provide supporting devices for sewing machine tables of the type specified, in which provision is made for mounting the treadle for the transmitter without affecting the floor, and wherein the position of the treadle is substantially the same as if it were mounted upon the floor. It is an object of the invention to provide means for mounting the treadle wherein the treadle will be substantially iirmly retained in position during its operation and use.

In order to electuate certain of these objects, a pair of rails are provided, the rails extending substantially parallel to each other, and providing means for engagement therewith of the uprights. These rails may be constituted from a plurality of separate sections. For each table, there may be a section in each rail. Sections in alignment form rails, but sections associated with a single table, just as the rails, are parallel to each other. The sections, to form the rails,

' are positioned in end-to-end abutment.

The uprights straddle, and are secured to, the sections at these abutted ends so as to lock together, and retain locked together, the immediately consecutive sections. Since the tables are substantially of the same length as the associated sections, each upright thus is in position to engage with the immediately contiguous end edges of two tables. With variation in the length of tables, either where they are cut down to accommodate them to small space, or where they have been cut down in the past for some other location and are now being set up in a new location, a section of one standard length would not be of universal usefulness, and this is especially true since the uprights straddle the abutted ends of the sections. For this reason, sections, to carry out certain features of the invention, are constructed so that, while the manner of positioning the uprights for engagement with the abutted ends, and the manner of such engagement, remain substantially the same wherever sections and uprights are brought together into a set-up relationship, still the distance between uprights may be varied to accommodate tables of various lengths while still using the very same section for each set of uprights.

Olne factor of the location of a sewing machine on its table must, for various reasons, remain substantially constant in practically all cases of the use of that table, and that is the distance from the pulley of the sewing machine to the end edge of the table adjacent that pulley. This lies in the fact that the transmitter is secured to the table in a certain denite relationship to this end edge, which relationship is also determined b-y the position the operator must assume with relation to the needle when he operates the machine. Thus cutting down the length of the table can be effected only by cutting olf portions at the end edge removed from the pulley or transmitter end. The transmitter location relative to the pulley end of the table is practically never changed during the life of a table. Just sufiicient clearance is generally provided between the transmitter and the upright at the pulley end so that it is undersirable tocut down the table at that end to vary the dimensions from the edge of the table to the transmitter for any new arrangement. In the same manner that the transmitter must thus remain xedly located with relation to one end of the 2,253,935 I I r I table, so, therefore, must the treadle assume substantially a fixed relationship to the upright at that end of the table. For certain purposes of the invention, at least one of the sections is provided with bearing members so that the treadle may be mounted immediately upon such section. These bearing members remain in a constant relationship to the free end of that section, and thus, once the relative positions of the tables have been marked out by the disposition of the sections in their adjusted relationship, it requires no measurement or adjustment to set up the treadle thereafter.

Other objects of this invention will be hereinafter set forth, or will be vapparent from the description and the drawing, in which is illus- .trated an embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to the particular construction and arrangement of parts, nor to the particular application of such construction, nor to any specific method of operation, nor to various details thereof, herein shown and described, as the same may be modified in Various particulars, or be applied in many varied relations, without departing from the spirit and scope of the` invention, the practical embodiment herein illus` trated and described being merely an attempt to show one ofvarious forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

On the drawing, in which the same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout, and in which is disclosed an embodiment of features of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a plant arrangement of sewing machines, the machines being supported upon tables mounted in a-ccordance with the invention, portions of the tables being shown in phantom; v

Fig. 2 is a detail front elevational View of table mountings in accordance with the invention, the uprights carrying the tables and the tables themselves being shown by dot-and-dash lines, the uprights being foreshortened and broken away, the partsbeing seen reversed from their relationship in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, the uprights being foreshortened, and the uprights and the table being broken away in transverse length, and being shown broken away;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, to an enlarged scale, of a rail in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 5 is `a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional View, on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, certain portions being shown in elevation;

Fig. 6 is a detail cross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, illustrating the manner in which the base of Athe upright straddles the ends of aligned sections;

Fig. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view, on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a detail cross-sectional view, to enlarged scale, of the adjusting elements.

In the arrangement illustrated on the drawing, a plurality of tables I0, I2 and I4 have been illustrated as arranged upon uprights I6. These uprights straddle between rails I8 and 20, which are made up of sections 22, more particularly to be described. A shaft 24 extends continuously substantially parallel to the rails and the tables, and through the uprights in which it is provided bearings 26. At the various stations along shaft 24 dened by the tables, transmitters 28 are associated with the shaft so that power-may -be transmitted as desired to Various sewing machines-Bil mounted upon the tables v Uprights I6 are preferably all of ythe same height so that end edges 32 and l34 of a pair of immediately consecutive tables YIl) and l2 may rest upon top surface 36 of a single uprighth-With the end edges substantially in abutting relationship, and with those abutting end edges engaged to thatvsame single upright. Tables are constructed so that a belt 38 may be extended from ia pulley 49 on the machine to a position below the table, where the belt will be engaged with Aanother pulley 42, which forms a part `of transmitter 28. The transmitter may be assembled upon bottom face 44 of the table, as, for instance, by being bolted to that bottom .face at the -timelthe table is made up. This arrangement generally so Vremains throughout the life of the table. 4Thedistance of pulley 42 from end edge 32 ispractically a standard in the industry, -and thus Vis not `the subject of calculation when the table, with the machine located thereon, is to be disposed on'the uprights. By the same token, it should not Irequire any calculations in order to locate treadle 4B with relation to the transmitter. In the relationship shown on the drawing, the treadle is mounted on one section 48 of the pair of sections 22 in rails I8 and 20 associated with a particular table, in a manner to be described. l

Tables, which may be of different lengths, are generally made up in standard sizes. For instance, one standard length .now being used is forty-two inches. However, when tables of this type are to be lined up, it may be found that the f..

total length of the assembled tables is more than the space provided. In such case, it is common practice to saw off a portion of the table. -Such cutting is done at end edge y34, and the table is thus shortened to accommodate itself to the space in which it is possible to arrange fthe machines. Now the tables have been shortened, but abutted end edges 32 and 34 still must rest upon a single top surface 36 of a single upright. This makes it essential to consider the support upon which the uprights rest.

Such support is provided by rails I8 and 20 which are made up from a plurality of aligned sections '.22 in order to be able to accommodate the rails to any desired number of machines to be placed in line. However, the sections themselves must be capable of assuming variable lengths in order to accommodate just this condition which has been mentioned, that is, cutting down the length of the table from the standard length ordinarily-provided.

The sections may be of channel iron, vof U- shape formation in cross-section, the sections being disposed with the U opening downwardly. In the web 59 of the U, suitable openings 52 are provided adjacent ends 54 and 59 of each section. Each upright I9 has a base 58 to be seated upon the top of the web when ends 54 vand 56 are brought into abutment, the base being Aof such length that it extends over both openings 52 of the abutted end edges 54 and 56. Bolts 69 may be extended through openings 52 in end edges 54 and 59, and then through openings E2 in base 58 to i'lx the upright in this straddled position.

To facilitate the arrangement of these bolts with the abutted sections, a connecting bar 64 is provided. Bolts .59 may be ailixed to, or otherwise anchored in, bar'd at a distance apart such that, when ends 54 and 56 are actually in abutment, the bolts will extend upwardly through Lil() openings 52 `to `be Vengaged in openings 6'2. Suitable nuts 66 may then be turned down on extending ends 68 of the bolts Ato lock the entire lassembly inV position. Only one bolt n'eedbe 'anchored in web`64. A threaded-opening may be provided in the bar at a distance from the anchored Abolt equal to the spacing of openings 52. A threaded bolt may then kbe passed through an 'opening V52 to engage *the opening in the bar, and Athus lock the bar and thev upright in position. Since the uprights are of fixed dimensions, and -since the distances across the abutted edges between openings '52, when the sections are in abutted relation, and between openings 62 of a base, are -substantially the same in every case, adjust-ment in order to change the length of Ythe rails -in relation to variation in the length of the tables for permitting the uprights in every case to vassume a posi'- tion immediately 'beneath a pair of immediately contiguous end edges `of the tables is accomplished in the following manner.

Each section 22 may consist of a pluralityof channel members 19 :and 12. In the particular disclosure here, a section is shown -as made up.

from a pair of members. However, such adjustment may be effected in any desired manner, where the sections include members in Aany desired number. ber 10, at end 54, preferably are spaced apart substantially the same distance as yare viianges `16r at end 56 of member 12. However, flanges 14 may merge into, or otherwise be connected to, flanges 18 at end '89 of member 19 where the spacingof the flanges is greater. Also `the height of web v82 at end 8B is greater than that of web 59; by this construction, provision is made -so that member 12 may be tted within the cavity Y "Ihroug'h this slot a screw 86 mayy extend, the

screw being engaged'with cross-bar 88 of mem-A ber 1.2. This screw, by its head 90, or by other suitable means, such as a washer 92, functions to clamp webs 82 and V88 to each other, anchorying the members against separation from each ly from washer 92 into slot 84, to lock pointer 96 yagainst rotation.

By this means, one who is erecting a plant of this type, on determination of the 'length of the table for which sections 22'are to be used, can,

by loosening screw 86 and Ysliding the two members relativelyA to each other until pointer 9B indicates the Yproper dimension, .immediately adjust the sections for the purpose desired, without f in any way affecting the relationship of openings 52 and 62, and without requiring any measuring operation of any kind, and especially any meas- For instance, vflanges 14 of mem;A

To produce a channel section such Vas uring upon the iioor upon which the supports were to be laid down.

In order further to guard against marring the floor upon which the machines are to be supported, and also to reduce transmitted vibration to as low a degree as possible, a strip |02 of cushioning material, which may be of the nature of felt, is positioned within the cavity of the channel, and is of such height that, even under compression of the load resulting from the weight of the machines, the edges of the flanges will not engage with the floor upon which the machines are being supported, but will be raised away from the floor surface. Since bar 64 and the associated heads of bolts 60 are positioned within the cavity of the channel, compensation is preferably provided so that the sections will engage with strip |02 substantially withoutunevenness. For that purpose, planks or wood strips |04 may be disposed within the cavity of each channel, engaging against the bottom fa'ce of the web, and being of such dimension that it will extend into the cavity substantially the same distance as the depth i bar 64 and the heads of bolts 60. In this manner, a strip of packing material of uniform thickness may be utilized without resulting unevenness in the effective levelling of the rails.

Integrally formed or otherwise provided in connection with member 18 may be a pair of lugs |06 and |08, to provide bearing points for a rod H0, which, in turn, is the pivot of treadle 46. The distance between lugs |06 and |08 may be substantially the same in all cases; the distance from lug |06 to end 54 is substantially xed for a particular type of table. This last distance is, of course, determined by the distance of pulley 42 from end edge 32. By arranging lugs |06 and |08 both upon a single member 18, treadle 46 will, in all cases, have a fixed relationship to end 54. Thus, when the rails are being set up, the location of the treadle, merely by setting end 54 in association with the transmitter end of the table, will be in a fixed relationship to the upright at the treadle end of the table, all adjustment of the sections being eiected by the other member of the section. Furthermore, the total height of the treadle from the loor, by having lugs |06 and |08 upon member 10, is barely increased over the height it would attain if the bearings for the treadle were directly upon the oor, but, in any case, such increase, if any, will not cause discomfort to the operator during the use of the machine.

Many other changes could be eiected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the methods of operation set forth, and in specic details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention intended to be dened in the claims, the speciiic description being merely of an illustrative operative embodiment carrying out the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In apparatus for mounting a plurality of sewing machines in line, the apparatus including a plurality of table tops each of which has its own eifective length and receives and supports an individual sewing machine, the table tops being disposed to define a substantially continuous surface, the end edges of the table tops being disposed in substantially contiguous relationship,

uprights for supporting the table tops, each table top being supported by a pair of the uprights, rails positioned in spaced apart relationship, each rail comprising a plurality of sections, the secin abutting relationship,

tions being positioned substantially in alignment, end portions of the sections being positioned substantially in abutting relationship, each upright being positioned to straddle, and being secured to, substantially abutted end portions, and each upright providing support for the substantially contiguous end edges of a pair of theta'ble tops.

2. In apparatus for mounting a plurality of sewing machines, the apparatus including a plurality of table tops each of which receives and supports an individual sewing machine, uprights for supporting the table tops, and a pair of rails for providing anchorages for the uprights; the rails being positioned in spaced apart relationship, each rail comprising a plurality of sections, the sections being positioned substantially in alignment, end portions of the sections being positioned substantially in abutting relationship, each upright being positioned to straddle, and being secured to, substantially abutted end portions, the sections being adjustable so that successive uprights are spaced apart to support the table tops immediately at their end edges.

3. In apparatus for mounting a plurality of sewing machines, the apparatus including a plurality of table tops each of which receives and supports an individual sewing machine, uprights for supporting the table tops, and a pair of rails for providing anchorages for the uprights; the rails being spaced apart substantially in parallel relation to each other, each rail comprising a plurality of sections, the sections being positioned substantially in alignment, end portions of the sections being positioned subtsantially in abutting relationship, each upright being positioned to straddle, and being secured to, substantially abutted end portions, each section being of substantially channel formation with the opening of the channel disposed to face downwardly, and the sections being adjustable to locate each straddling upright immediately beneath a pair of the table tops.

4. In apparatus for mounting a plurality of sewing machines, the apparatus including a plurality of table tops each of which receives and supports :an individual sewing machine, uprights for supporting the table tops, and a pair of rails for providing anchorages for the uprights; the rails being spaced apart substantially in parallel relation to each other, each rail comprising. a plurality of sections, the sections being positioned substantially in alignment, end portions of the sections being positioned substantially in abutting relationship, each upright being positioned to straddle, and being secured to, substantially abutted end portions, each section comprising a pair of members of substantially channel formation, and the members of a section being constructed to be movable relatively to each other for adjusting the length of the section to locate each straddling upright immediately beneath `a pair of the table tops.

5. In apparatus for mounting a plurality of sewing machines, the apparatus including a plurality of table tops each of which receives and supports an individual sewing machine, uprights for supporting. the table tops, and a pair of rails for providing anchorages for the uprights; the rails being spaced apart substantially in parallel relation to each other, each rail comprising a plurality of sections, the sections being positioned substantially in alignment, end portions of the sections being positioned substantially each upright being positioned to straddle, land being secured to, substantially abutted end portions, each sec-- tion comprising a pair of members of substantially channel formation, and the members of a section being constructed to be movable relatively to each other for adjusting the length of the section to locate each straddling upright im.- mediately beneath a pair of the table tops, and means for fixing the members in adjusted relationship.

6. In apparatus for mounting a plurality of sewing machines, the apparatus including a plurality of table tops each of which receives and supports an individual sewing machine, uprights for supporting the table tops, and a pair of rails for. providing anchorages for the uprights; the rails being spaced apart substantially in parallel relation to each other, each rail comprising a plurality of sections, the sections being positioned substantially in alignment, end portions of the sections being positioned substantially in abutting relationship, each upright being positioned to straddle, and being secured to, substantially abutted end portions, each section comprising a pair of members of substantially channel formation, the members of a section being constructed to be movable relatively to :each other for adjusting the length of the section to locate each straddling upright immediately beneath a pair of the table tops; and means for fixing the members in adjusted relationship, the fixing means comprising a slot in one member, a clamping screw carried by the other member and extending through the slot, and means carried bythe clamping screw for indicating the length to which the section has been adjusted.

7. In apparatus for mounting a plurality of sewing machines in line for operation from a single driven shaft, the apparatus including: a

plurality of table tops each of which has its own effective length :and receives and supports a seW- ing machine; uprights for supporting the ltable tops, each table top being supported by a pair of the uprights, bearings for the shaft carried by the uprights; and a pair of rails for providing anchorages for the uprights, the rails being positioned in spaced apart relationship, each rail comprising a plurality of sections, the sections being positioned substantially in alignment, end portions of the sections being positioned substantially in abutting relationship, each upright being positioned to straddle, and being secured to, substantially abutted end portions, the sections being adjustable sov that successive uprights are spaced apart to support the table tops immediately at their end edges.

8. In apparatus for mounting a plurality of sewing machines in line for operation from a single driven shaft, the apparatus including: a plurality of table tops each of which has its own eiective length and receives and supports a sewing machine; uprights for supporting the table tops, each table top being supported by a pair of the uprights, bearings for the shaft carried by the uprights; and a pair of rails for providing anchorages for the uprights, the rails being positioned in spaced apart relationship, each rail comprising a plurality of sections, the sections being positioned substantially in alignment, end portions of the sections being positioned substanltially inl abutting relationship, each upright being positioned to straddle, and being secured to, substantially abutted end portions, the sections being o-f such length that successive uprights are spaced apart to support the table tops immediately at their end edges. l

LOUS HOCH.

l CERTIFICATE orcoRREcTIolI. l Patent No. 2,255,955. August 26, 19m.

I y LoUIs- HOCH.

` It is hereby certifiedthatV error appears in the printed specification of" the above numbered Apatent requiring 'correct on as follows:` Page 5, second column, line )414, after "as" insert. acomma; 1ine"l5, for "is" read -in'; lines v50 end 52, for'"cros`sbar" read -web; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that sIne may conform to there'cord of thecase in the Patent'Office.

-Signed and sealed this 28th .day of October, A; D. 19ML E Y Henry'vn Arsdale, (Seal) Ating Commis sionerof Patents. 

